MIDWEST REGION BLOG

One of the main reasons we do this program is to get kids excited about careers in construction. However, I have had many conversations with many people. The consensus is that it’s not enough to get kids excited about construction as a career, we need to get educators and parents to believe that it is a valid career choice.

There is a stigma to blue-collar work. Many assume that you get a blue-collar job if you weren’t smart enough to go to college. How can we change that perception? I know one of the things we have done in our own company is to create a comparison spreadsheet that shows earning potential and debt incurred for a tradesperson vs. a 4-year college grad. Money is definitely part of it, but I think pride in workmanship and the satisfaction of walking into a building and thinking to yourself “I helped build this” is also a very cool thing.

If we could come up with some ideas, I would be glad to do the parent presentation while the kids are getting organized and going over the rules. I’m just throwing this out there hoping that someone will have some good ideas. If we can’t come up with some good ideas, that’s fine too.